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Encyclopedia of Cancer pp 1–2Cite as

Cyclooxygenase

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Definition

Cyclooxygenases are proteins (enzymes) that are rate limiting in the production of thromboxanes and prostaglandins from arachidonic acid (arachidonic acid pathway). The constitutive form of these proteins (COX-1) is essential for maintaining homeostasis, while the inducible form (COX-2) is expressed in leukocytes in response to an inflammation stimulus, resulting in production of prostanoids. The activity of cyclooxygenases is inhibited by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, and corticosteroids interfere with gene expression of COX-2. COX-3 is the third and most recently discovered cyclooxygenase and is actively being studied for its similarities and differences between the COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. It expresses a retained intron sequence from the COX-1 transcript that may decrease its enzymatic potential to generate prostaglandin E2. Currently, one hypothesis suggests that COX-3 exhibits the same role in prostaglandin synthesis.

COX-1 was first purified in...

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See Also

  • (2012) Arachidonic acid. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 260. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_379

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  • (2012) Corticosteroids. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 982–983. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_1341

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  • (2012) Familial adenomatous polyposis. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 1373. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_2106

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  • (2012) Min. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 2318. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_3750

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  • (2012) Prostanoid. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 3009. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_4780

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Manfred Schwab

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  1. Manfred Schwab
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Correspondence to Manfred Schwab .

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  1. Abt. Tumorgenetik, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany

    Manfred Schwab

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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Schwab, M. (2015). Cyclooxygenase. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_1433-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_1433-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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